Port of Houston to Issue Fingerprint ID Cards

A new ID card system is one of several security improvements being issued by the Port of Houston Authority’s port commission in its effort to comply with the Maritime Transportation Security Act. The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) will function as the identification card for all personnel who need unescorted access to secure facilities and vessels within the port, as well as mariners who hold Coast-Guard issued credentials. The card itself is a smart card containing a fingerprint template for worker identification.

The TWIC program is one part of a $5 million plan to up security at the Port of Houston.